Silent Thorns, Burning Ashes
by The Onceler's Unless
Summary: 3 women, each from different backgrounds. Circumstances brings them together and forms a bond between the three that last forever. This story is about how the trio comes together and how their fates are all intertwined with the Avengers. It's just a side benefit that they each fall in love. Steve/OC; Bruce/OC; Bucky/OC. Begins in the middle of Thor 2 and goes onward (so spoilers!)
1. Chapter 1: Fireproof

_**A/N: ***_**steps out from the corner and gives a nervous wave* After months of fighting with myself on whether or not I should pursue this story and continue with it... I have put on my big girl pants and posted it (as you can clearly see)! This story will contain language (and lots of it!) but won't at the very beginning. Anyways, this story will start off kind of slow and some of the chapters will be shorter, which I apologize for. However, don't fret, as the story moves along the chapters will become longer. Each chapter is dealing with a different girl, but sometimes it will stay with one of the girls for a few chapters before jumping to the other. Only two of the girls will be introduced here at the beginning and as we move along the third will insert herself in here. ****I feel as if this Author's Note has drug along enough, but I just want to thank my lovely sister for helping me develop this (and one of the lovely characters - without her it would just be two of the girls). Without her, I highly doubt this story would have seen the light of day. So thank you, my dear Brooke. Below is just the summary again before the chapter officially starts. Please enjoy and let me know what you think!**

**Summary: _3 women, each from different backgrounds. Circumstances brings them together and forms a bond between the three that last forever. This story is about how the trio comes together and how their fates are all intertwined with the Avengers. It's just a side benefit that they each fall in love. Steve/OC; Bruce/OC; Bucky/OC. Begins in the middle of Thor 2 and goes onward (so... spoilers!)_**

* * *

><p>Steve was walking towards his Brooklyn apartment that particular day. He had stayed in New York primparily since everything that had happened with Loki and the Chitauri, but he had been doing more missions for SHIELD. Though their main base was in Washington DC, they had allowed him to stay in New York. The state had a lot of painful memories but it was his home. He had gotten into a simple routine of working out, catching up on the world, and going on missions. His life in the twenty-first century had been as normal as it could be considering his past. And oh did it hurt that he remembered everything, but he forced himself to push forward. Besides, his life seemed like it was going to stay in this simple routine he had gotten used to. He was okay with it not changing since it was all he knew now that he was breathing and conscious. A few of his teammates from the Avengers tried getting him to go out – specfically Natasha, but Clint had tried on a few occasions – to get a girlfriend, but he just couldn't. He wasn't sure exactly why, but he knew he was not ready. Moving on seemed so hard to do even though he knew he needed to. He was longing for a life that was long gone.<p>

The day they informed him that they were going to do an exhibit on Captain America and the Howling Commandos at the Smithsonian he was a bit reluctant. Of course he wanted his friends remembered, but that was putting a lot of things out there. Plus, he would become recognizable. But, his want for his friends to be remembered outweighed what he wanted. That day was the number two on his list of days that changed things for him here in the twenty-first twenty. The first day? The first day was something he had never expected.

The day number one on that list was when he was walking through Brooklyn. This was where he grew up, where he had so many bittersweet memories. Some of his wonderful, loving mother and others of the greatest friend in the entire world that a person could have. Those days weighed heavily on him. He missed them, but he didn't regret what he had done that brought him here. He had eliminated HYDRA and saved a lot of lives which was what mattered the most.

Anyways, that day he had been going to go work out. He was going to take a taxi, but decided he wanted to walk instead. He always used to walk, it wouldn't hurt him to do it now. Plus he would be able to see more how life worked in this century and be able to think some more.

It was when he saw the smoke and heard people freaking out that he knew that something was wrong. He hurried towards where the screams and smoke were coming from to see an apartment building was on fire. No firefighters were in sight, but a woman was sobbing. In between sobs, she screamed out, "My son Zach is in there! He's only eight!" She was being comforted by an older woman. Steve instantly dropped his gym bag and hurried over to the mother. He wasn't one to stand by and let an innocent boy die.

"What floor is he on?" He asked her.

"The third! The third floor!" She cried out right in his face. He turned and ran towards the entrance.

Steve managed to get through the door, but the fire had already spread through a lot of the apartment building. He was able to jump over them enough to reach the stairs. "Hello?" He called out as he moved through the flames. "Son, where are you?" He called out, trying to get a response from the child. He heard nothing. He rushed up to the fifth floor and called out again. This apartment building was six stories, but fortunately he had the common sense to ask the mother which floor he should be on. Looking for this child might take a lot longer than if he had not.

Steve moved through the burning building as quickly as he could manage. He checked every apartment he came to, but he just couldn't find the boy. Instead, he found someone else. The very someone that made this day so prominent in Steve's life.

As he moved into one of the last apartments in the building, still calling for the boy, he heard a girl shouting. "Hey, you! Over here! Hurry, over here!" She called. Steve managed to bust through the door and looked through the flames to see a young brunette. She had a lot of debris and flames around her that slightly concealed her from his gaze. Most of the floor had given out around her. He started to move to come closer to the girl with the almond shaped brown eyes.

"No, don't worry about me!" The girl shouted at him. "Zach is in the bathroom, get him first!" She insisted, pointing in the direction of the bathroom. Her voice was dry and it cracked at the end of her sentence. Steve knew he needed to hurry if he was going to get them both out of here, so he didn't waste a moment to argue with the girl. He ran in the direction she had pointed. He got to what he assumed was the bathroom, hearing soft cries and violent coughs from inside the room and nearly broke down the door until he realized the boy may be against the door. He didn't want to hurt him.

"Zach?! I'm going to break down the door so I can get to you, Zach! I need you to get out of the way and somewhere safe until I get in there, okay? Can you say 'okay' to let me know you're out of the way and safe, Zach?" Steve called through the door. He heard some more coughs and then a very small 'okay'. "Okay, I'm going to break the door down on three then I promise I will get you out of here. One… Two… Three!" He busted down the door on three just as he said he would. The boy was in the tub and let out a yell as the door fell. Steve rushed over and put his hands on the boy's shoulder. "Zach, I'm here to save you. Come on, let's get you out of here." He said and the boy instantly grabbed onto him. Steve picked him up in his arms and rushed back into the living room area of the apartment. The brunette was still in the same spot and she seemed to breathe a sigh of relief when she saw that Steve had Zach in is arms.

Unfortunately, the floor was stable anymore. Not a second later, the floor under the brunette gave out and she vanished from sight. Zach screamed as much as his smoke filled lungs would allow him. Steve looked at the boy and pulled his Call of Duty shirt over his mouth to help the boy with his breathing at least a little. Steve glanced over the hole and saw that the brunette had landed on the floor below and was moving a bit. He heard her groans through the crackling of the flames. If he hurried and got Zach out, he could go and save her. With Zach with him now, he couldn't get through all the fire around her down there without potentially hurting him.

"I have to get Zach out of here, but I swear I will come back for you!" Steve yelled down to the brunette. She somehow managed to lift her hand up and do a weak thumbs up to him before her arm dropped again. With her confirmation, he ran through the fire that was getting bigger and bigger. He nearly fell through the floor with Zach, but managed to just avoid it. Finally, he made his way through the building and ran out the entrance with Zach in his arms.

His mother cried out the boy's name and Steve rushed him over to her. She gladly took her son in her arms and Steve heard the sirens getting closer and closer… But that brunette couldn't wait for the firefighters to get here. If Steve didn't go back in there right now, she could die and he couldn't let that happen.

Since she had fallen through to the second floor, Steve made his way there, ignoring the flames that were burning him. He needed to save her. She had to be saved. He refused to let anyone be killed again just because he couldn't make it in time. He managed to find the apartment she had fallen into. Flames were surrounding her and even some were burning her. He rushed up to the flames and saw that she hadn't moved at all because wood had fallen on her legs. She lifted her head a little and spotted him, but more wood came collapsing down on top of her and landed on her back and head. She didn't even scream.

Steve hurried through the flames and through the wood off of her. He patted out the flames on her clothes and felt a lump form in his throat. Part of her clothes had been burnt off and she had a lot of burns on her, but there was nothing he could do at the moment. He swatted out the fire that had burnt her on her back and arms before he picked her up bridal style in his arms. She was limp.

He didn't dare look down at her. His first priority was getting her out of the fire. They were still both in danger. He turned and went the same way he went, getting burnt and once again almost falling through the holes in the grounds.

As he got to the doors, firefighters started to flood into the building. Two immediately flocked to Steve and the brunette, but Steve refused to let the girl be taken by one of them. He was directed outside immediately and was brought over to the ambulance since he wouldn't put the brunette down himself. The paramedics told him to lay her down on the gurney and he did as he was told. Finally looking down at her, he felt something in his stomach clench. She looked so young but her face was dirty and her skin had horrible burns over them.

"Sir, I need you to back up so we can take her to the hospital. Please, we need to save her life." One of the paramedics, a woman, said to him. He could only give a small nod, taking a step back but not taking his eyes off of her. He watched as they loaded her into the ambulance and then the ambulance drive off. He didn't even notice the other ambulance with more paramedics in it that were badgering him to let them bring him to the hospital to check him.

Steve looked at the blonde paramedic that was shaking his shoulder. "I'm sorry, what?" He asked her, coming back to Earth.

"Sir, I need you to let us help you. You're burnt badly and you appear faint." The blonde paramedic said to him, worry etched into her face.

Steve's first instinct was to fight. To insist he was fine… But he could feel the burns and cuts on him now. He looked around and spotted Zach with some paramedics. The small boy looked up and caught his gaze. In a blur, Zach was suddenly running to him and threw his arms around Steve's legs.

"Thank you so much, mister." Zach said to him, his voice seeming weak. Before Steve could even respond to him, the boy spoke again as he pulled back from hugging Steve. "The girl that fell in there... Is she going to be okay?"

Steve looked in the direction that the ambulance had disappeared. "I... I'm not sure."


	2. Chapter 2: The Lonely

Steve had stayed at the hospital with the Jane Doe.

It had been about week since the fire, and the brunette was currently unclaimed by a family member. Since she had been in a comatose state the past week, they weren't able to get her information from her. All Steve could do was wait, and hope that she was claimed soon.

Steve felt so guilty for not getting her out of there with the boy Zach he had saved, even though she had insisted to him that he needed to save the child. She had burns all over her body, which the doctors said some were permanent while others weren't. Steve had burns himself, but nothing too bad that he couldn't handle. He'd live.

Now that they were no longer surrounded by smoke and fire, Steve was able to get a better look at the brunette now. She was a really beautiful girl. The kind of natural beauty, the kind that wouldn't look his way. She had such lovely features. She had an oval face, light olive complexion, almond-shaped brown eyes, and smooth, long dark brown hair. She was 5'8" and had a slim, slightly athletic physique. The doctors said she was probably twenty-two or twenty-three. He hated himself for not being able to get to her in time. He at the very least could've prevented her from at least getting hit in the head.

In the past week, some agents from SHIELD had tried to persuade him to go out more than just to the hospital and working out at the gym. He hadn't taken any of the missions offered to him yet, because a part of him felt like he wouldn't be able to do it. Instead of going out on missions now, his days were quiet and not as lonely. He knew that the brunette was in no position to speak to him, but something about being near her was comforting (despite the consuming guilt he felt). In the mornings he would stop by the flower shop outside the hospital and buy a different bouquet of flowers every single morning. He would come and sit with her, putting the new bouquet by the others that sat there. Most times he would just stay there with her until visiting hours were up or would leave earlier. Either way, he would always end up going to the gym and worked out until late before retiring home.

Steve couldn't help the way this was making him. Not being able to save just one person brought back so many feelings and pain from the past that were at times crippling. He should've been able to save the brunette, just like he should've been able to save Bucky and even himself... No, he couldn't think about that. It was too crushing to think about it all.

Something that boggled Steve's mind was that no family had claimed her yet. She wasn't in the databases at all and her face hadn't struck up facial recognition with anything in the system (of course, this wasn't SHIELD's resources). Steve had even asked the tenants of the building that had burnt down. They said they had never even seen her before, that she had just been playing Good Samaritan by trying to save that child. He eventually asked SHIELD to look into it, and they had promised to try, but he knew they wouldn't waste their time with it so all he could do was wait and see.

During his visits with the brunette, Steve had come to notice that at points her heart rate would pick up and drop, but it was only at certain times. It seemed to always be when he walked into the room or when he was about to leave for the night. He took it as a small sign that she was still in there somewhere, and he prayed desperately that she'd wake up. For her not to wake up was not something he had allowed himself to think about yet, she just_ had_ to wake up.

He jumped and almost took out the nurse that had tapped on his shoulder. "Excuse me, sir? Visiting hours are over," The older nurse said to him, her voice kind and gentle.

"Yeah, of course. I'm sorry, I lost track of time," He said as he stood and grabbed his jacket. He turned back to the brunette as her rate started to beat quickly. Steve swallowed hard and stared at her. Why couldn't she just wake up?

"It's so sad to see a young person in such a bad state," The nurse stated in a sad tone. "And no family willing to claim her… I feel like I have seen her before, her face looks so familiar. I'm not sure, though. With getting to my age, it's tough to remember some things." The older nurse chuckled and Steve gave her a weak smile before looking back at the brunette.

Steve could feel the guilt eating at him. "Yeah…" He muttered, his face going over the girl's round face. It felt wrong to see a tube going between those plump lips of hers. This whole thing was wrong. Steve looked back to the nurse, seeing her nametag said May Parker. "Has there been any updates on her condition yet?"

"None, I'm sorry, son," May said, returning his sad smile. Steve knew in reality he was actually older than this woman since he was actually ninety-five years old, but he decided to refrain from actually pointing that out. "I do think it is a nice thing you are doing. Visiting her every day, bringing her flowers. They say you're the one who carried her out of the building."

Steve nodded, looking back to the brunette. "Yeah, I was."

"If she wakes up, she will have so much to thank you for."

_If_. Steve felt something tug at his heartstrings. "She won't have to thank me for a thing. That's not why I'm doing any of this." He admitted in a small voice.

The nurse studied him for a long moment, her eyes going over his face carefully. She tilted her head ever so slightly. "Did you know her?"

"No," He turned away from the brunette with a parting glance. "No, I don't." And with that he left the room, wanting already to be in the gym and away from the guilt, though he had a suspicion it would plague him no matter how far away he got.


	3. Chapter 3: Burning Red

"_Theo_! I need that wrench!"

"In here! I _need_ coffee!"

"Come hold this down for me!"

"No! I don't need _that _thing, I need _that_ thing!"

"Why can't you figure this out, Theo? My coffee cup stays full at all times!"

"Who pays you to read Shakespeare? I pay you to look out for me, not neglect me."

And that was usually how all of Theo's days went with Tony Stark. Yep, that Tony Stark. Iron Man, billionaire, philanthropist, playboy, and also Theo's boss. Well, sort of. Her real boss was Pepper Potts, the CEO of Stark Industries. She was Pepper's personal assistant and also Tony's unofficial personal assistant. Theo kind of just believed her purpose for being around Tony was all because he didn't have a lot of friends. She didn't have friends either, but she didn't go seeking to spend time with anyone. She was quite content all by herself. Theo liked to think she was a decent worker. She never complained, even when Tony woke her up at three o'clock in the morning wanting her to go on a coffee run for him at least two times a week.

Currently, Pepper had sent her home early because she thought Theo had worked too much in the past week. As soon as Theo begrudgingly walked out of the building, she received a text from Tony telling her to come to Stark Tower with his regular from Starbucks. She swore he kept tabs on her at all times, which bugged her. She ended up doing as he asked – well, rather _told_ her to do – and arrived to see he was all alone, holed up in his lab. That's where he usually was nowadays when Pepper wasn't around.

Theo had been working at Stark Industries for three months when all the stuff with the Mandarin went down. Needless to say it was then that she and Tony became more comfortable around the other. She helped him out, though in her opinion way less than Colonel Rhodes had. She had simply helped Tony when everyone else thought he was dead and helped save Pepper from Aldrich Killian. Though, for a while there, it seemed like she had failed to save Pepper… Anyways, everything turned out okay. The bad guy was defeated and everyone was alive.

And thus Theo begrudgingly became Tony's unofficial personal assistant/friend. She didn't like being called his friend though; Theo had never been the one to want or need friends.

Theo looked up with a stoic expression, closing the book. "You don't pay me to sit around while you do whatever it is that you do," She responded in a dry voice, her moss green eyes going to the hunk of garbage on the table. She wasn't even sure what he was trying to do.

Theo pale skin and a height of 5'2". She had a very voluptuous body shape to go along with it. She had a round face with down turned moss green eyes. She had an upturned nose and sharp lips. Scattered across her nose were freckles and to frame her face, frizzy red hair went past her waist. When she first got the job, Theo had tried to tame her curls in a bun, but her hair had a mind of its own so eventually she started wearing it down. She had refused to cut it, so over the years it had grown quite lengthy. Looks had never concerned her, so she had never cared much for someone finding her attractive.

"'While you do whatever it is that you do,'" Tony echoed her words, glancing up at her briefly. "My work gains no respect. Well, not from you. There are a ton of fan boys who would kill to be sitting in the same room as me."

"Fortunately for them they are not." Theo replied, picking her book up and resuming her reading.

"You're neglecting me again, Theo." Tony said not even five seconds later. He wasn't even looking at her, instead continuing his work on his bench.

Theo closed her book and put it to the side, her deep set eyes finding him. "What would you have me do, Mr. Stark? Get some coffee? I've cleaned up in here twice already and there is nothing left for me to do. I've already done all the work Pepper will let me." She said putting her hands in her lap.

"Such a busy-body, even more so than Pepper," Tony said as he looked up at her. "Why don't you brush through your hair a hundred times? Though the brush might get lost in your nest of hair. I think I just saw a bird's nest in there." Theo sighed at his joke and stood from the chair she had been sitting in. She began to pace around the room. "Hey, if you don't calm down, I'll send you back to the looney bin." Theo stopped and turned towards him, her eyes narrowing into small slits. He gave her an amused look before continuing to work on his garbage pile.

"I think it's time for me to go home." Theo responded after a few moments of watching him work.

"What? But we were going to stay up late braiding each other's hair and watching Sandra Bullock movies," Tony said with mock sadness, even sticking out his bottom lip in a pout. He was trying to elicit a witty response from her, but she just continued staring at him with a stoic expression. "Wow, I don't even get the beginnings of a smile."

"I don't think you realize I have never shared your sense of humor, Mr. Stark," Theo said as she walked over and picked up her book. She slid it into her bag with all her work things. Everything was perfectly organized just as she liked it to be.

"There you go again with that 'Mr. Stark' crap," Tony said with a sigh. "You don't have to be so formal with me, Theo. We've long passed that in our relationship."

Theo turned to face him, an unamused and unchanged expression. "The only relationship we have is a _professional_ one. You ask me to fetch things for you and I do it. You ask me to spend time with you in your lab so you're not as lonely and I do it. All of this because I am a good employee."

"With no life," Tony added on. "And because you're a good friend."

"We aren't friends, Mr. Stark. You couldn't tell me a personal thing about myself that you didn't read off my file when you hired me." Theo pointed out.

"You read a lot," Tony pointed to her purse where she kept a book. "You always have at least one book on you."

Theo kept her eyes on him for a couple of seconds. "Do you know why I keep a book with me at all times?" She asked him.

"Because you don't like sitting still and if you finish your work than there's nothing else to do," Tony said with confidence. She shook her head slightly.

"I do take pleasure in some things, Mr. Stark. Reading just happens to be one," Theo said as she folded her arms over her chest. She exhaled slightly before continuing. "And partly because I need something to do."

"See? I'm a genius that can read you no matter how hard you keep that stoic expression on your face," Tony responded as he sat up in his chair. He gestured to his project on the table. "What do you think, Theo?"

Theo walked over and looked at his project. It was a miniature Iron Man suit, the size of an action figure. Except this one was fully functioning, shooting the junk piles around it. Every time a blast went off Theo couldn't help but flinch. "What on Earth?! Why would you make this?!" Theo questioned as she looked at him with a distasteful look.

"Don't look at me like that! I am older than you, you know. You shouldn't look at me like I am a five year old that just spilled their grape juice all over the new carpet," Tony said to her. He picked up the miniature Iron Man and held it up in the air. "It has everything my suit would and more."

"Well, isn't that swell for the mice." Theo commented dryly as she looked back up at Tony with one eyebrow raised.

"Did Theodora just make a funny?" Tony cooed to her, reaching out to pinch her cheeks but she quickly backed away. Her body went rigid for a moment as she got that dark feeling… Shaking it off, she gave him a glare.

"Don't touch me, you know I don't like it." She told in him a harsh voice.

"See? I do know things about you I didn't just 'read in your file,'" Tony pointed to her before sitting the action figure back down on the table. It continued shooting things and even took flight. Tony didn't blink twice and let it run ramped. "Still, you might want to get yourself checked for that. There's this one professor of genetics or some crap like that who deals with abilities like yours. I bet he would just have a field day with your bright demeanor."

"I don't need to speak to anyone about my abilities, Mr. Stark. Especially some professor who thinks he knows more about my abilities than I do," Theo responded as she looked down at the watch that was on the bottom side of her wrist. It was getting late. She needed to get home and tidy up. She had already eaten dinner, as Tony insisted she ate Chinese with him, so all she had to worry was getting to bed before nine-thirty. She had a certain schedule set, one she just could not bring herself to break. "I have to go now, I cannot stay any later. Ms. Potts should be home any minute so you will have her then. I will see you the next time you need coffee, Mr. Stark." Theo gathered her things and turned to look at him for a moment. "Have you taken your medicine?"

Tony waved her off, his attention back on his workbench. "I will in a minute."

Theo sighed and sat her things back down. She went over to where she kept his medicine (he spent a majority of his time in his lab, so she had thought it to be the most sensible place for it) and pulled out his medicine. She then went over and got out a juice box from the mini-fridge (which had other scientific experiments that made her skin crawl) before walking on the other side of the lab table he was at. She used the straw and poked the hole through the juice box and then put two tablets in the lid before holding them out to Tony. He knew it was futile to fight with her, she always won every argument they had. He stared at her with a childish pout etched on his face before he let her drop the pills into his hand. Taking a sip of his juice box, he managed to down the pills.

"Happy?" He asked her with a glower.

Theo screwed the lid back on the lid. "Satisfied, most definitely." She turned on her heel and went to put the medicine away. She kept a lock on the cabinet because, while she did trust Tony to an extent, she didn't want to take any risks. She knew he could most definitely get into the cabinet if he tried hard enough – he was Tony Stark after all – but he hadn't yet, and she took that as a good sign. As she locked the cabinet, she heard his voice behind her.

"Theo, why didn't you tell me about your gift when Pepper first hired you?" Tony questioned her. Theo processed his question for a moment before turning to look at him with a scowl.

"Why is that important?" She nearly snapped.

"I was just curious," Tony admitted, not taken aback by her tone. He was used to it whenever he asked personal questions or any questions she did not like being asked. It was funny how informal she could be with him despite claiming how they were not friends. "You know, getting a job with not only the most world-renowned superhero but smartest guy on the planet probably wasn't the best cover up."

"Smarter than even Reed Richards?" Theo said, slightly quirking her eyebrow.

"Well, arguably the smartest guy on the planet." Theo didn't laugh or smile, but her eyes did a slight eye roll which Tony knew was her way of showing amusement. He took another sip of his juice box and watched her with curious eyes.

"Now it is time for me to go," Theo said as she looked around his lab. "I trust you can handle closing up your own shop." Tony wasn't sure how Theo had managed to make it through with her harsh tone that she always seemed to keep. He wasn't even sure how she made it past the initial interview at Human Resources. If it was anyone else, he wouldn't even think twice about letting them be so rude, but Theo was Theo. He knew it was how she was, and recalling what he read in her file, he knew her people skills weren't good for a reason.

Tony was pulled out of his reverie by Theo opening the lab door. Turning halfway around, he saw her turn to look back at him also. "Goodnight, Mr. Stark."

And with that, Theo was gone.


	4. Chapter 4: A Girl Named Scottlyn

Steve walked through the hospital hallway, a bouquet of flowers in his hands. He had already stopped by the desk and checked in with the nurses. They had spoken to him for what seemed like forever, paying him compliments and smiling a lot. He had just wanted to get into the room already.

The Jane Doe was lying in the bed still, her burns visible and the tube down her throat. He sat the lilies he had gotten her next to the daisies he had gotten her a couple of days ago. He decided he would bring her flowers twice a week. He thought that was a reasonable amount of flowers. He didn't want to seem like he was being weird and bring her one every day. If he knew it wouldn't look weird, he would. He got them from a flower stand just outside of the hospital he passed every day on his way here.

Originally, Steve had been staying in Brooklyn. After the whole thing with Loki and the Chitauri, he moved down to Washington DC and helped SHIELD with missions. It was whenever Fury needed his help. Frankly, he did it because it was something to do. He was tired of all the days were he did nothing. So, he went to the gym more often and made sure he went to do other things. He was trying to immerse himself back into society but it was difficult. Natasha had helped him a little, even urging him to go on a date with someone. In all honesty, he just couldn't. His mind was still stuck on the life he should've had, the one with Peggy.

His visit with Peggy didn't make it any better either. When they told him she had Alzheimer's when he first visited, it had scared him. He wasn't sure if she would remember him and it killed him inside to think that. He still visited with her, though, and she had remembered him. Towards the end of their conversation, however, her Alzheimer's kicked in and it was like she had set eyes on him for the first time in seventy years. He wanted more than anything to be at her side and have been the one to grow old with her. She had children and had moved on, which he was glad she had, but it still hurt.

Now, he decided was open to falling in love but he wouldn't be searching for it. He was open to it more than anything else, but he knew it was going to be so difficult to find someone. He wasn't sure if he could find someone for him that could accept all the craziness in his life. He was Captain America, he was an Avenger, and was a man out of time. He didn't know how everything worked and didn't really want to because it scared him. All the knowledge they had now was a huge difference to the way things had been seventy years ago. He could only wish there was a chance that maybe someday he could catch up.

Steve sat down next to the Jane DoE' bed and stared at her for a couple of minutes. He knew she might not look too good with the state she was in now, but she was really a beautiful girl. The kind of natural beauty, of course. She had such lovely features. She had an oval face, light olive complexion, almond-shaped brown eyes, and smooth, long, straight dark brown hair. She was 5'7" and had a slim, slightly athletic physique. Her doctor, an arrogant man named Doctor Strange that Steve did not really like at all, had said she was in her early twenties.

The reason Steve didn't like Doctor Strange was because he only took on the case was because Jane Doe was a high-profile case. Who didn't wonder who the heroic girl was? Plus, Jane Doe had been odd in her treatment, Dr. Strange had said to him the other day. Apparently, Jane Doe was completely brain dead, but she still showed signs of being alive. Really, it was like she was in a vegetative state. All of her organs functioned just perfectly, but it was as if nobody was home. They really kept her hooked up to all these machines because they weren't sure if her body would end up giving out and they wanted to be prepared. Normally, the doctor or a nurse wouldn't tell a complete stranger this stuff like this. Fortunately, the fact he had saved her, no one had claimed her yet and the fact he was a part of SHIELD gave him leeway. He was grateful for that or he might not have been able to find out anything about her.

"This is where you've been hiding the past week and a half?"

Steve didn't turn to Natasha Romanoff. She had probably been there watching for God knows how long and he didn't really care. All he had been doing was sitting with the Jane Doe, staring at her and occasionally out of the window. "What can I do for you, Agent Romanoff?" Steve glanced over his shoulder slightly and only for a moment.

Agent Romanoff remained silent as she came to stand on the other side of the bed, looking at the girl herself. "She's pretty," She commented after a moment.

"Yeah, she is," Steve murmured, his eyes going back to the brunette in the hospital bed.

"A shame she had to go in the way she did. A beam dropped on the head has to be painful, I imagine."

"She's not dead, Natasha. Everything is perfectly functioning, except her brain." Steve snapped as looked over at the redhead, who was staring intently at him. He exhaled and rubbed the back of his neck with his hands. "Why are you here? Something Fury wants me to do?"

"Actually, it's because you've not done what Fury wants you to," Natasha looked back to the girl. "You've came here instead, even when visiting hours shouldn't be allowed. Most of the hospital staff thinks you're her boyfriend."

"You've been watching me." He stated dryly.

"Of course we have, just to keep a safe watch," Natasha turned towards him. "Steve, this girl, just as you said, she has no brain activity. There's no chance for her to wake up. She gave herself to save a child, just let her die with dignity."

Steve looked up at Natasha. "She tried to hide it, but I saw she was scared as I carried Zach away. When I got back to save her, she looked so… relieved. Like she realized was actually going to survive… And then the beam fell. I got her out, but she's got burns all over her body." Steve exhaled, looking back to the girl. "She's young, Natasha. She sacrificed herself so the child could live even though she was scared. Now, she's in 'a coma' and no one expects to see her again."

"She's not a soldier like you, Steve. she only saved one life. And she has no one who will miss her… Her parents aren't in her life anymore and she wasn't very sociable."

"I had no one either, Natasha. I still have no one." Steve looked at the redhead again, curious at how she knew that information. "Tell Fury I'll return within the week. Think he'll be satisfied with that?"

"He'll have no other choice but to," Natasha walked over and held out a file. "I thought you'd like what I could find about her. It's not much, but hey, it's enough to know her more than you do right now. The hospital staff has been notified of her identity also. I have a feeling they will be notifying her father before tonight." With that, Natasha turned around and walked out. Steve looked down at the file and stared at it a moment before he opened the first page.

Scottlyn Aileene West was her name… meaning she wasn't a Jane Doe anymore. Reading through her file Steve found she used to be a student NYU and it said she came from a wealthy family that she no longer remained in contact with. Her father lived somewhere in New York in a fancy mansion and seemed to be fine off without her. A random thing, but they had records of her checking out _The Adventures of Huckleberry_ Finn from a library a bunch of times. _Seriously,_ Steve thought to himself, _where does SHIELD come across information like this?_

Steve read through the file for the rest of the day, looking for something but he wasn't sure what. As he did, the nurse May walked into the room and noticed him reading as she checked on Scottlyn. "You've got friends in high places, sir." The woman, who looked to be in her mid-fifties, said to him as she readjusted the blankets on Scottlyn. "Finding out this girl's identity was a good thing."

"Yes, I appreciate it was finally done." Steve said as he closed the file and looked over at Scottlyn. "I read her father was her only relative left; did you notify him about her?"

The nurse nodded and looked at him with a sad face. "Spoke to him myself. Said he couldn't be spared from a business trip was on. He's a lawyer for _Oscorp_. That company is nothing but bad luck. I was tempted to give him a tongue lashing, you know. His only child in a state as hers and he doesn't rush over." She shook her head at thought of the man. "Poor girl." Steve frowned as he looked back to Scottlyn. He did feel sad for her. Even her father hadn't come… "You know–" The nurse began again, pulling Steve's attention back to her. "–sometimes coma patients can hear. So maybe, if you continue your visits that is, you could read to her. I bet she would appreciate that." The nurse gave him a small smile before she left the room.

Steve noticed a while later how dark it had gotten outside. He knew he needed to go back to his apartment, even if it was just going to seem empty… With a sad expression he stood and went over to the curtains to close them so the sun wouldn't bother her when it rose. He paused for a moment then turned back to Scottlyn. She didn't look like a Scottlyn to him, but he didn't question it. Rather he stared at her another moment and touched her cheek… He pulled back and turned, walking out of the hospital room, missing the little twitch movement she did when he touched her cheek.


	5. Chapter 5: Spiders and Snakes

Steve was reading aloud to her, to Scottlyn. At first he didn't think the name fit her… But now looking at her he knew it did. He liked it.

He was reading _The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn _to her, because in the file Natasha had given him he had seen that she enjoyed the book. Not sure why the file had that little piece of information, but he decided not to question Natasha's findings. So he had gone to the library where she checked this certain book out and made sure to get this exact copy. He felt like he needed to because she deserved to have something she liked.

As he read aloud, suddenly a movement caught his eye. He glanced up briefly and saw that it was nothing. He resumed reading until he saw another movement… Her arm had moved. Immediately he called to the nurse who came running in. "What is it? What is going on, child?" May asked him.

"She was moving!" He exclaimed as he pointed to her arm.

"Oh," May said in a softer tone as went over to Scottlyn and checking her vitals. Steve waited impatiently, a part of him flooding with hope. After a couple of minutes the nurse turned towards him. "Sweetheart, it was just a twitch. Sometimes when people are de—" She stopped herself, realizing what she was about to say. "Sometimes people in a coma twitch. I wouldn't get my hopes up." She said it in the softest, kindest way possible. He appreciated it.

"But that's a good sign at least, isn't it?" Steve asked, feeling like he had been punched in the gut by Hulk.

"We don't want to get our hopes up, sweetheart. All we can do is pray." May said to him gently, trying to give him comforting words and a smile but he could see right through it. Steve now felt like he had been punched by the Hulk.

Steve sighed, deciding that he was done with waiting around today. He was frustrated… And he just needed some time to cool down. He'd be back tomorrow and they could continue reading the book. He sat it on the bedside table and left, not expecting much anymore. He knew he needed to get back to work, but he was still so haunted by her last expression he knew it wouldn't be easy to focus on much of anything.

Steve was sitting in his normal spot, reading _The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn_ to Scottlyn just as the nurse – she finally introduced herself as May Parker, a last name he thought sounded vaguely familiar but soon dismissed the thought – suggested she should. When Steve formally introduced himself as Steve Rogers to her, she was in shock. Ever since the memorial for Captain America and his team at the Smithsonian in Washington DC, he was easily recognized so he had started to wear hats and glasses out. The nurse May had been happy to keep the fact he was Captain America a secret so he didn't have problems with people flooding him. He was here for Scottlyn, not for himself.

As he read, he didn't realize someone had walked in behind him. Well, not until they spoke. "Are you a family member?"

Steve stopped reading and turned to the voice. He saw the doctor he had met a couple of days ago, Dr. Strange. "We've met before, Dr. Strange. I'm the man who saved her from the fire." Steve said to jog his memory.

"Oh, right," Dr. Strange said as he walked over and checked over Scottlyn. Steve watched him carefully, not very trusting of the man. The doctor seemed… off. Steve just didn't like something about him. Maybe it was his outward arrogance and pride. Dr. Strange glanced over and saw that Steve was watching him with distrust. "Most people would have left her to die." He commented to the muscular man.

"Not me," Steve said as his eyes went to Scottlyn's face. "She got me to save someone rather than herself. Not many people would do that." Steve looked over at Dr. Strange. "I heard about her father being called. She doesn't deserve to be alone."

Dr. Strange didn't respond as he finished making sure all the machines were properly working. "If it were up to me, you wouldn't be allowed in here. But you have powerful friends, Mr. Rogers."

Steve looked at him again, uncertain how he had known his name. "You know my name?" Steve asked him, becoming more and more distrusting of this doctor.

"If he hadn't been for the Smithsonian for a charity event, I don't think I would've. Your nurse friend Mrs. Parker has been tight lipped on your identity, especially to your superiors." Dr. Strange explained as he stopped at the foot of Scottlyn's bed. "However as long as you don't mess up anything else or bother the patient, I suppose I cannot get my powerful friends to influence yours."

Steve was watching Dr. Strange with a hard expression. "I don't respond well to threats, doctor. The last time I was threatened was in a war." Steve said to him.

Dr. Strange held up his hands. "I don't mean any offense, it was merely a warning."

"Well, doctor, I am not the kind of man who would purposefully mess with anything I wasn't supposed to," Steve said to him. "Can you say the same for yourself?" He turned away from him and resumed reading out to Scottlyn. From his peripheral vision Steve saw Dr. Strange heading towards the door. Before he left, the doctor called over his shoulders.

"Even with friends like yours, Mr. Rogers, visiting hours still hold up."

Once he was gone, Steve sighed and closed the book. He didn't feel like reading anymore and sat back, rubbing his hand over his face.

"Aw, Steve, sweetheart, are you okay?" Steve moved his hands from his face when he heard May Parker's voice and the sweet lady had laid a hand on his arm.

"Yes, ma'am, I am," Steve said as he sat up. May nodded and removed her hand.

"Was it Dr. Strange? I saw him leaving the room."

"Yes, once again," Steve admitted in a small voice. He looked over at Scottlyn for a moment before back at May. "Ma'am, don't you think Scottlyn deserves a doctor who actually cares for her well-being and not getting his name in the news?"

"I think she does have one," May said after a moment of thought. "Dr. Strange is very caring for her. Of course he first took her case because of the getting recognition, but I believe she's growing on him. In a coma and she's grown on a lot of the hospital staff. Some maybe because they pity her and others for their own reasons... Plus, don't tell him I told you this, he had a sister who died that was around her age," May said, a pointed look towards Steve. "Anyways, I think things are looking up for her. She is moving around a lot, though her brain is still dead. Her body will sit up and other things. I'm not what sure to think of it, Steve. It's like she's no longer in there but her body thinks she is."

Steve was quiet, watching Scottlyn with a sad expression. "Do you think there's ever a possibly of her waking up?" He asked her.

May sighed, a sad look etching the woman's face. "I didn't want to tell you this because I knew you would be upset, but I think you should know."

Steve now turned to face May completely. "What is it?" He asked her.

"Her father was called, as you know, and was told of Scottlyn's situation. He ordered us to cut off her machines and let her die, that he wanted us to fax him the papers he needed to sign for his consent. He said he would be here within the week."


End file.
